JP7545980B2 - Lean Vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lean vehicle.

Lean vehicles are known that lean to the left when turning left and lean to the right when turning right. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a three-wheeled leaning vehicle that has a body frame, two front wheels, and one rear wheel. The two front wheels include a left front wheel and a right front wheel.

International Publication No. 2019-044471

In lean vehicles, it is desirable to increase the design freedom of lean vehicles, including the freedom of the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the vehicle frame.

The present invention aims to provide a lean vehicle that can increase the design freedom of the lean vehicle, including the freedom of the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the vehicle frame.

A lean vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a body frame, a seat supported by the body frame and on which a driver sits, left and right steps supported by the body frame and on which the driver places his/her feet, a left front wheel located to the left of the body frame, a right front wheel located to the right of the body frame, at least one rear wheel, a left swing arm that supports the left front wheel so as to be swingable relative to the body frame, and a right swing arm that supports the right front wheel so as to be swingable relative to the body frame. The lean vehicle is equipped with a tilt link mechanism that supports the body frame, the left front wheel, and the right front wheel so as to tilt in the left-right direction, and a shock absorber that cushions the movement of the left front wheel and the right front wheel. When turning left, the body frame, the left front wheel, the right front wheel, and the rear wheel are tilted to the left, and when turning right, the body frame, the left front wheel, the right front wheel, and the rear wheel are tilted to the right. The body frame includes a main skeleton. The front portion of the main skeleton, which is located forward of the fore-aft center of the left step and the right step in the main skeleton, extends linearly in the fore-aft direction and is configured so that the dimension of the front portion of the main skeleton in the vehicle width direction is greater than the distance between the support portion of the left swing arm relative to the body frame and the support portion of the right swing arm relative to the body frame, and supports at least a portion of the tilt link mechanism at a position lower than the upper surfaces of at least a portion of the left step and the right step in a side view of the lean vehicle.

In this way, by configuring the front part of the main skeleton to extend linearly in the front-rear direction and the dimension of the front part of the main skeleton in the vehicle width direction to be greater than the distance between the support part of the left swing arm relative to the body frame and the support part of the right swing arm relative to the body frame, and by configuring the front part of the main skeleton to support at least a part of the tilt link mechanism at a position lower than the upper surfaces of at least a part of the left step and the right step in a side view of the lean vehicle, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the riding position of the driver and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of the lean vehicle.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The main frame portion is located between the left step and the right step in a plan view.

In this way, by positioning the main frame between the left and right steps in a plan view, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame, etc. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The main frame portion extends linearly in the front-rear direction between the legs of the driver when the driver is seated in the seat and places his/her feet on the left step and the right step.

In this way, the main frame is narrow and extends linearly in the front-to-rear direction. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame. This allows for greater freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The main frame portion extends linearly in the fore-and-aft direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of the left step and the right step on which the driver places his/her feet when seated in the seat, in a side view of the lean vehicle.

In this way, by configuring the main frame to extend linearly in the front-to-rear direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of the left and right steps on which the driver places his or her feet when seated in the seat, when viewed from the side of the lean vehicle, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of the lean vehicle.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The main frame portion supports the tilt link mechanism by a front portion of the main frame, and supports the seat, the rear wheel, and the drive source by a rear portion of the main frame located behind the center of the left step and the right step in the fore-and-aft direction.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the main skeleton of the vehicle body frame supports a tilt link mechanism that supports the vehicle body frame, the left front wheel, and the right front wheel so as to tilt in the left-right direction at the front part of the main skeleton, and supports other mounted parts at the rear part of the main skeleton. This increases the degree of freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the mounted parts mounted on the vehicle body frame. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration. The lean vehicle further includes a steering handle that rotates about a steering axis by operation of the driver. The body frame includes a handle support portion that rotatably supports the steering handle. The handle support portion is formed of a member separate from the main skeleton portion, and extends upward from an upper portion of the main skeleton portion.

In this way, by providing the handle support section, which is made of a separate member from the main frame and which rotatably supports the steering wheel, on the top of the narrow, linearly formed main frame so as to extend upward, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the vehicle frame. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

According to another aspect, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: At least a portion of the handle support portion extends upward from an upper portion of the front portion of the main frame.

In this way, by providing the handle support part so that it extends upward from the upper part of the front part of the main frame part, which is narrow and linearly formed, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame, etc. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

According to another aspect, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The upper end of the front part of the main frame is lower than the lower end of the steering handle.

In this way, by making the upper end of the front part of the main frame, which is narrow and linearly formed, lower than the lower end of the steering wheel, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame, etc. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The tilt link mechanism is configured to be separable from the main frame portion and the handle support portion.

In this way, the tilt link mechanism is configured to be separable from the main frame and the handlebar support, which increases the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the vehicle frame. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The upper end of the front part of the main frame is lower than the seating surface of the seat.

In this way, by making the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton, which is narrow and linearly formed, lower than the seating surface of the seat, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame, etc. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The upper end of the front part of the main frame is lower than the upper end of the tilt link mechanism.

In this way, by making the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton, which is narrow and linearly formed, lower than the upper end of the inclined link, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the body frame. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The upper end of the handle support portion is higher than the seating surface of the seat.

In this way, by making the upper end of the handlebar support part higher than the seating surface of the seat, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the vehicle frame, etc. This increases the degree of freedom in designing lean vehicles.

From another perspective, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The tread width of the left front wheel and the right front wheel is greater than the lateral distance between the left end of the left step and the right end of the right step.

In this way, by making the tread width between the left and right front wheels larger than the lateral distance between the left end of the left step and the right end of the right step, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in terms of the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the vehicle frame. This increases the degree of freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

According to another aspect, it is preferable that the lean vehicle of the present invention includes the following configuration: The left step has a recessed portion for a driver seated in the seat to land on with the left foot.

This prevents the left step from interfering with the driver's left foot when the driver lands on the ground. Furthermore, by providing a recess in the left step, the driver's riding position and the layout of the parts mounted on the vehicle frame can be designed to allow the driver to land on the ground without interfering with the left step, which increases the freedom of design for the lean vehicle.

The terminology used in this specification is intended to define particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention.

As used herein, "and/or" includes all combinations of one or more of the associated listed components.

In this specification, the use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof identifies the presence of stated features, steps, elements, components, and/or equivalents thereof, but may include one or more of the steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the terms "attached," "connected," "coupled," and/or the like are used broadly to encompass both "direct and indirect" attachments, connections, and couplings. Additionally, "connected" and "coupled" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, but can include direct or indirect connections or couplings.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be construed to have a meaning consistent with the relevant art and meaning in the context of this disclosure and not to be construed in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

It is understood that in describing the present invention, a number of techniques and processes are disclosed, each of which has distinct advantages and may be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques.

Thus, for the sake of clarity, the description of the invention refrains from unnecessarily repeating every possible combination of the individual steps. However, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that all such combinations are within the scope of the invention.

This specification describes an embodiment of a lean vehicle according to the present invention.

In the following description, numerous specific examples are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific examples.

Therefore, the following disclosure should be considered as illustrative of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific embodiments illustrated in the following drawings or description.

[Lean vehicle]
In this specification, a lean vehicle is a vehicle that turns in a leaning posture. Specifically, a lean vehicle is a vehicle that, in the left-right direction of the vehicle, leans to the left when turning left and leans to the right when turning right. A lean vehicle may be a vehicle for one person or a vehicle that can accommodate multiple people. Note that lean vehicles include all vehicles that turn in a leaning posture, such as three-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles.

[The main frame extends linearly]
In this specification, the term "the main skeleton extends linearly" includes not only the case where the main skeleton extends linearly in the front-rear direction, but also the case where the main skeleton extends diagonally left-right or up-down with respect to the front-rear direction of the lean vehicle, or the case where the main skeleton extends with a stepped shape shifted left-right or up-down with respect to the front-rear direction. Moreover, the term "the main skeleton extends linearly" also includes the case where a part of the main skeleton has a convex portion that protrudes in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle or a concave portion that is recessed in the left-right direction.

[Left end of left step, right end of right step]
In this specification, the left end of the left step means the leftmost part of the left step in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle, and the right end of the right step means the rightmost part of the right step in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle.

[Tread width between left and right front wheels]
In this specification, the tread width between the left and right front wheels means the distance between the center of the left front wheel and the center of the right front wheel in the left-right direction of a lean vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lean vehicle can be provided that can increase the design freedom of the lean vehicle, including the freedom of the driver's riding position and the layout of the mounted components mounted on the vehicle frame.

FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a lean vehicle according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an outline of the overall configuration of the lean vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic structure of the body frame. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic positional relationship between the body frame, the body cover, and the driver. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the tilt link mechanism as viewed from the rear when the body frame is tilted to the left. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the tilt link mechanism as viewed from the rear when the body frame is tilted to the right. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a left side view of a lean vehicle and a plan view that typically shows the positional relationship between a body frame, a body cover, and a driver. FIG. 8 is a left side view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a lean vehicle according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a body frame of a lean vehicle according to the second embodiment.

The following describes the embodiments with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and the description of the same parts will not be repeated. Note that the dimensions of the components in each drawing do not faithfully represent the actual dimensions of the components or the dimensional ratios of each component.

In the following, arrow F in the figure indicates the forward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Arrow B in the figure indicates the rearward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Arrow U in the figure indicates the upward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Arrow D in the figure indicates the downward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Arrow R in the figure indicates the rightward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Arrow L in the figure indicates the leftward direction of the lean vehicle 1, 1001. Furthermore, the front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions of the lean vehicle 1, 1001 respectively refer to the front-to-rear, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions based on the lean vehicle 1, 1001 when viewed from the driver driving the lean vehicle 1, 1001.

In each embodiment, the lean vehicle 1, 1001 turns by tilting the body frame 21, 1021 left and right with respect to the vertical direction. Therefore, in Figures 5 and 6, which show the state in which the body frame 21 is tilted, in addition to the directions based on the lean vehicle 1 described above, the directions based on the body frame 21 are defined as follows.

Arrow FU in the figure indicates the upward direction of the body frame 21. Arrow FD in the figure indicates the downward direction of the body frame 21. Arrow FR in the figure indicates the rightward direction of the body frame 21. Arrow FL in the figure indicates the leftward direction of the body frame 21. Furthermore, the left-right and up-down directions of the body frame 21 respectively refer to the left-right and up-down directions based on the body frame 21 when viewed from the perspective of a passenger driving the lean vehicle 1.

[Embodiment 1]
(Overall composition)
Fig. 1 is a left side view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a lean vehicle 1 according to embodiment 1. Fig. 2 is a front view showing an outline of the overall configuration of the lean vehicle 1. The lean vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 2, a pair of left and right front wheels 3, a rear wheel 4, a tilt link mechanism 5, a steering mechanism 6, a shock absorber 7, and a power unit 8 (drive source).

The lean vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a vehicle that leans to the left when turning left and leans to the right when turning right. That is, the lean vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a vehicle that leans the vehicle body 2 and the pair of left and right front wheels 3 to the left when turning left and leans the vehicle body 2 and the pair of left and right front wheels 3 to the right when turning right.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle body 2 has a body frame 21, a rear arm 23, a body cover 26, and a seat 27. In Figures 1 and 2, the body frame 21 is in an upright state. In the following description, when referring to Figures 1 and 2, it is assumed that the body frame 21 is in an upright state. Note that the upright state of the body frame 21 means that the up-down direction of the body frame 21 is the same as the vertical direction.

As shown in Figure 1, the body frame 21 supports components mounted on the lean vehicle 1, such as a body cover 26, a seat 27, and a power unit 8. Specifically, the body frame 21 supports the tilt link mechanism 5 at the front. The body frame 21 supports the rear arm support 24, the seat 27, and the power unit 8 at the rear.

The power unit 8 has, for example, a motor that is a driving force generating source. Note that the power unit 8 may have an engine as the driving force generating source, or may have a hybrid system that combines an engine and a motor.

The driving force output from the power unit 8 is transmitted to the rear wheel 4 by the drive transmission unit 8a. The drive transmission unit 8a is supported by a rear arm 23 (described below) that rotatably supports the rear wheel 4. The drive transmission unit 8a includes, for example, a chain.

3 is an exploded perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the body frame 21, the pair of left and right front wheels 3, the rear wheel 4, the tilt link mechanism 5, and the steering mechanism 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the body frame 21 has a main skeleton portion 21a, a tilt link mechanism support portion 22, a rear arm support portion 24, and a handle support portion 25.

The main skeleton 21a is a frame that constitutes the skeleton of the vehicle body 2 of the lean vehicle 1. The detailed configuration of the main skeleton 21a will be described later, but the main skeleton 21a includes a front skeleton 211 and a rear skeleton 212. The front skeleton 211 is located in front of the rear skeleton 212 in the main skeleton 21a. The rear skeleton 212 is located behind the front skeleton 211 in the main skeleton 21a. The front skeleton 211 and the rear skeleton 212 are connected while being lined up in the fore-and-aft direction.

The front skeleton 211 supports the tilt link mechanism support 22 at the front. The rear skeleton 212 supports the power unit 8 and the seat 27 at the front, and supports the rear arm support 24 at the rear.

As shown in Figure 1, the seat 27 is supported by the rear skeleton 212 of the vehicle body frame 21. The seat 27 has a seating portion 27a and a seat back 27b. Although not specifically shown, the seating portion 27a of the seat 27 is supported by the upper part of the rear skeleton 212. The upper surface of the seating portion 27a is a seating surface 27c on which the driver sits.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is connected to the front end of the front skeleton part 211. The tilt link mechanism support part 22 supports the tilt link mechanism 5 described later. The tilt link mechanism 5 supports a pair of left and right front wheels 3. That is, the tilt link mechanism support part 22 supports the pair of left and right front wheels 3 via the tilt link mechanism 5. A detailed configuration of the tilt link mechanism 5 will be described later. The tilt link mechanism support part 22 is separable from the front skeleton part 211. Therefore, the tilt link mechanism 5 supported by the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is also separable from the main skeleton part 21a. The tilt link mechanism support part 22 is also separable from the handle support part 25 described later that is connected to the main skeleton part 21a.

2 and 3, the pair of left and right front wheels 3 includes a left front wheel 31 located to the left of the body frame 21 and a right front wheel 32 located to the right of the body frame 21. A left arm mechanism 51 of the tilt link mechanism 5 described later extends leftward from the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to support the left front wheel 31 relative to the body frame 21. A right arm mechanism 52 of the tilt link mechanism 5 described later extends rightward from the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to support the right front wheel 32 relative to the body frame 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, a shock absorber support part 28 that supports the shock absorber 7 is disposed between the inclined link mechanism support part 22 and the front skeleton part 211. This shock absorber support part 28 is connected to the upper part of the inclined link mechanism support part 22 and the front lower end part of the handle support part 25 that is connected to the front skeleton part 211.

The shock absorber support part 28 has a shock absorber support main body part 28a and a tower part 28b. The shock absorber support main body part 28a is a cylindrical member and supports the base end part of the tower part 28b which extends in the vertical direction. The shock absorber support main body part 28a is connected to the front lower end part of the inclined link mechanism support part 22 and the handle support part 25.

The shock absorber 7 cushions the movement of the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the shock absorber 7 includes a left shock absorber 71 and a right shock absorber 72. The left shock absorber 71 is provided to connect the tower portion 28b and a left upper arm member 511 (described later) of the inclined link mechanism 5. The right shock absorber 72 is provided to connect the tower portion 28b and a right upper arm member 521 (described later) of the inclined link mechanism 5. Although not specifically shown, the left shock absorber 71 and the right shock absorber 72 each have a spring and a damper.

The left shock absorber 71 buffers the force input from the road surface to the left front wheel 31 and positions the left front wheel 31 relative to the body frame 21. The right shock absorber 72 buffers the force input from the road surface to the right front wheel 32 and positions the right front wheel 32 relative to the body frame 21.

As shown in Figure 3, the handlebar support part 25 is connected to the upper part of the front part of the front skeleton part 211 and extends upward from the upper part of the front skeleton part 211. This prevents the handlebar support part 25 from interfering with the driver getting on and off the lean vehicle 1. This allows the driver to easily get on and off the lean vehicle 1. As shown in Figure 1, the height H5 of the upper end of the handlebar support part 25 is higher than the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. The upper end of the handlebar support part 25 is the uppermost part of the handlebar support part 25 in the vertical direction.

In addition, a part of the handle support part 25 may extend upward from an upper part of a part of the main skeleton part 21a other than the front skeleton part 211. In other words, the handle support part 25 may be provided in any manner on the main skeleton part 21a as long as at least a part of the handle support part 25 extends upward from an upper part of the front skeleton part 211. In this embodiment, the handle support part 25 is formed of a separate member from the main skeleton part 21a.

The handle support part 25 may extend upward from the upper part of a part other than the front skeleton part 211. In other words, the handle support part 25 may extend upward from the upper part of the main skeleton part 21a.

The handle support portion 25 supports the bar handle 61 and the steering shaft 62 of the steering mechanism 6. The handle support portion 25 has a height that positions the bar handle 61 of the steering mechanism 6 at a position that is easy to grasp by the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27.

The steering mechanism 6 has a bar handle 61, a steering shaft 62, a steering shaft support 63, and a steering force transmission unit (not shown). The bar handle 61 is a bar member extending in the left-right direction and is connected to the upper end of the steering shaft 62. The steering shaft 62 is rotatably supported by the steering shaft support 63 fixed to the upper part of the handle support 25 as described below. Although not particularly shown, the steering shaft 62 is connected to the steering force transmission unit so as to be able to transmit the rotation of the bar handle 61. The steering force transmission unit transmits the rotation of the steering shaft 62 to the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 as a steering force in the left-right direction. A detailed explanation of the configuration of the steering force transmission unit is omitted.

The steering handle SH is made up of the bar handle 61 and the steering shaft 62. The steering shaft 62 is the part supported by the steering shaft support part 63, and does not include other rotating shafts connected to the steering shaft 62 by transmission parts. The steering handle SH rotates around the steering axis P.

As shown in Figure 3, the handle support part 25 of this embodiment has four handle support legs 25a, multiple handle support beams 25b, and a handle support top plate part 25c. The four handle support legs 25a and the multiple handle support beams 25b are each a plate-shaped bar member that is long in one direction. The handle support top plate part 25c is a flat plate member.

The upper ends of the four handle support legs 25a are connected to the handle support top plate 25c. The four handle support legs 25a are connected in the left-right direction by some of the multiple handle support beams 25b, and are connected in the front-rear direction by other parts of the multiple handle support beams 25b. In this embodiment, the four handle support legs 25a, the multiple handle support beams 25b, and the handle support top plate 25c are integrally formed. As a result, the handle support portion 25 is formed in a tower shape using plate-shaped bar members.

The four handle support legs 25a have their lower ends fixed to the front skeleton 211. The method of fixing the four handle support legs 25a to the front skeleton 211 may be any method that can fix the handle support legs 25a to the front skeleton 211, such as welding, fastening using a fastening member, adhesive bonding, etc.

A steering shaft support part 63 (described later) of the steering mechanism 6 is fixed on the handle support top plate part 25c. The bar handle 61 is connected to a steering shaft 62 rotatably supported by the steering shaft support part 63. The handle support part 25 supports a steering handle SH constituted by the bar handle 61 and the steering shaft 62.

The rear arm support part 24 is connected to the rear end of the rear skeleton part 212. The rear arm support part 24 rotatably supports the front parts of the pair of left and right rear arms 23. The pair of left and right rear arms 23 each extend rearward from the rear arm support part 24. The pair of left and right rear arms 23 rotatably support the rear wheels 4 at their rear parts.

The vehicle body cover 26 (cover) is supported by the vehicle body frame 21. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the vehicle body cover 26 includes a vehicle body cover main body 26a that covers the vehicle body frame 21, and an upper cover 26b located on the vehicle body cover main body 26a. The upper cover 26b is formed in a convex shape that protrudes upward when viewed from the left and right direction. As a result, the upper cover 26b forms a riding space for the driver between the vehicle body cover main body 26a and the upper cover 26b. Therefore, the driver who is driving the lean vehicle 1 is not directly exposed to wind and rain, and the comfort of the driver can be improved. The upper cover 26b is formed to be located above the driver's head when the driver is seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27.

The vehicle body cover main body 26a is formed so as to cover the right side of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 while leaving the left side of the driver open. This allows the driver to get on and off the lean-type vehicle 1 from the left.

An opening 26c is formed in the lower right part of the body cover main body 26a. This opening 26c is provided so that the right foot of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 can pass through and land on the ground. In other words, the lean vehicle 1 is provided with a body cover 26 that is located to the right of the driver seated on the seat 27 so as to cover the right part of the driver, and has an opening 26c through which the right foot of the driver seated on the seat 27 can pass when the right foot of the driver lands on the ground. This improves the convenience of the lean vehicle 1. Moreover, the above-mentioned configuration eliminates the need for the lean vehicle 1 to have an independent function, so that the configuration of the lean vehicle 1 can be simplified.

1 and 4, plate-shaped left and right steps 261 and 262 are provided on the front lower part of the body cover main body 26a in a portion facing the passenger space. The left step 261 is located on the left side of the body cover main body 26a, and the left foot of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 is placed on it. The front part of the left step 261 is inclined forward and upward. The right step 262 is located on the right side of the body cover main body 26a, and the right foot of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 is placed on it. The front part of the right step 262 is inclined forward and upward.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the relationship between the driver, the body frame 21, and the body cover 26. Figure 7 shows Figure 4 alongside Figure 1. Note that, for the sake of explanation, in Figures 4 and 7, parts of the lean vehicle 1 other than the body frame 21, the left front wheel 31, the right front wheel 32, the rear wheel 4, and the tilt link mechanism 5 are not shown, and the outline of the body cover 26 is shown by a dashed line.

The left step 261 is located to the left of the main skeleton 21a in a plan view of the lean vehicle 1. The right step 262 is located to the right of the main skeleton 21a in a plan view of the lean vehicle 1. In other words, the main skeleton 21a is located between the left step 261 and the right step 262 in the left-right direction. Note that in Figures 2, 4, and 7, the left step 261 and the right step 262 are shown with two-dot chain lines and diagonal lines for explanation purposes.

In this embodiment, the left step 261 and the right step 262 are integrally formed with the vehicle body cover main body 26a. The left step and the right step may be provided separately from the vehicle body cover main body 26a.

With the above-described configuration, the left step 261 and the right step 262 are supported by the main skeleton 21a via the body cover main body 26a. Note that the main skeleton 21a may be provided with step support parts that support the left step and the right step, respectively. In this case, the left step and the right step are each supported by the main skeleton 21a via the step support parts.

4 and 7, the left-right distance WS between the left end of the left step 261 and the right end of the right step 262 is smaller than the tread width WH between the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32. In other words, the tread width WH between the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 is larger than the left-right distance WS between the left end of the left step 261 and the right end of the right step 262. As a result, the left-right distance from the ground contact position of the driver's feet before getting on the lean vehicle 1 to the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 is small. This allows the driver to easily get on and off the lean vehicle 1.

The tread width of the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 refers to the distance between the center of the left front wheel 31 and the center of the right front wheel 32 in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle 1.

A recess 261a is provided at the left rear of the left step 261. This recess 261a allows the driver to easily get on and off the lean-to vehicle 1. Moreover, the driver can land his or her left foot on the ground while seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. This improves the convenience of the lean-to vehicle 1.

2, a front cover 265 is provided at the front of the vehicle body cover main body 26a to cover the front of the link mechanism drive motor (not shown) that drives the tilt link mechanism 5 described below. This front cover 265 constitutes the front of the cabin C described below so as to cover the front of the link mechanism drive motor and the front of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. The front cover 265 has a light-transmitting portion 265a so that the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 can see the pair of left and right front wheels 3. The light-transmitting portion 265a is made of, for example, a transparent material. The light-transmitting portion 265a may be made of any material as long as it is made of a material that can transmit light.

The front cover 265 is located behind the pair of left and right front wheels 3. The left step 261 and the right step 262 are provided at the rear of the front cover 265. Therefore, the front cover 265 can prevent water splashed up by the pair of left and right front wheels 3 from entering the passenger space in which the driver is riding.

The upper cover 26b and the front cover 265 of the vehicle body cover main body 26a form a cabin C that covers the front and upper part of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. The cabin C may include a portion of the vehicle body cover main body 26a that covers the left part of the driver, may include a portion of the vehicle body cover main body 26a that covers the right part of the driver, or may include a portion of the vehicle body cover main body 26a that covers the rear part of the driver.

(Tilt link mechanism)
Next, the configuration of the tilt link mechanism 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the tilt link mechanism 5 seen from the rear when the body frame 21 is tilted to the left. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the tilt link mechanism 5 seen from the rear when the body frame 21 is tilted to the right.

The tilt link mechanism 5 is a double wishbone type link mechanism. The tilt link mechanism 5 is supported by the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The tilt link mechanism 5 has a left arm mechanism 51 and a right arm mechanism 52.

The left arm mechanism 51 is connected to a left portion of the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the left front wheel 31. As described below, the left arm mechanism 51 is vertically rotatable relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the left front wheel 31. In other words, the left arm mechanism 51 supports the left front wheel 31 vertically rotatable relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22.

The left arm mechanism 51 swings upward relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 when the vehicle body frame 21 tilts to the left, and swings downward relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 when the vehicle body frame 21 tilts to the right. The left arm mechanism 51 has a left upper arm member 511, a left lower arm member 512, and a left knuckle 513. The left upper arm member 511 and the left lower arm member 512 are left swinging arms.

The left upper arm member 511 is a flat plate member and is disposed between the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the left front wheel 31 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The right end of the left upper arm member 511 is connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the right end of the left upper arm member 511. The part where the right end of the left upper arm member 511 is rotatably connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is the support part 511a of the left upper arm member 511 for the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The left end of the left upper arm member 511 is connected to the left knuckle 513 connected to the wheel of the left front wheel 31 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the left end of the left upper arm member 511.

The left lower arm member 512 is a flat plate member and is arranged below the left upper arm member 511 and parallel to the left upper arm member 511. That is, like the left upper arm member 511, the left lower arm member 512 is also arranged between the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the left front wheel 31 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The right end of the left lower arm member 512 is connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the right end of the left lower arm member 512. The part where the right end of the left lower arm member 512 is rotatably connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is the support part 512a of the left lower arm member 512 for the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The left end of the left lower arm member 512 is connected to the left knuckle 513 connected to the wheel of the left front wheel 31 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the left end of the left lower arm member 512.

With the left arm mechanism 51 configured as described above, when the body frame 21 tilts to the left, the left knuckle 513 tilts to the left while parallel to the tilt link mechanism support part 22. At this time, the left upper arm member 511 and the left lower arm member 512 maintain their parallel state. On the other hand, when the body frame 21 tilts to the right, the left knuckle 513 tilts to the right while parallel to the tilt link mechanism support part 22. At this time, the left upper arm member 511 and the left lower arm member 512 maintain their parallel state.

The right arm mechanism 52 is connected to the right portion of the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the right front wheel 32. As described below, the right arm mechanism 52 is vertically rotatable relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the right front wheel 32. In other words, the right arm mechanism 52 supports the right front wheel 32 vertically rotatable relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22.

The right arm mechanism 52 swings downward relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 when the vehicle body frame 21 tilts to the left, and swings upward relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 when the vehicle body frame 21 tilts to the right. The right arm mechanism 52 has an upper right arm member 521, a lower right arm member 522, and a right knuckle 523. The upper right arm member 521 and the lower right arm member 522 are right swinging arms.

The upper right arm member 521 is a flat plate member and is disposed between the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the right front wheel 32 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The left end of the upper right arm member 521 is connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the left end of the upper right arm member 521. The part where the left end of the upper right arm member 521 is rotatably connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is the support part 521a of the upper right arm member 521 for the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The right end of the upper right arm member 521 is connected to the right knuckle 523 connected to the wheel of the right front wheel 32 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the right end of the upper right arm member 521.

The right lower arm member 522 is a flat plate member and is arranged below the right upper arm member 521 and parallel to the right upper arm member 521. That is, like the right upper arm member 521, the right lower arm member 522 is also arranged between the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the right front wheel 32 so as to extend in the left-right direction. The left end of the right lower arm member 522 is connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the left end of the right lower arm member 522. The part where the left end of the right lower arm member 522 is rotatably connected to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 is the support part 522a of the right lower arm member 522 for the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The right end of the right lower arm member 522 is connected to the right knuckle 523 connected to the wheel of the right front wheel 32 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the right end of the right lower arm member 522.

With the right arm mechanism 52 configured as described above, when the body frame 21 tilts to the left, the right knuckle 523 tilts to the left while parallel to the tilt link mechanism support part 22. At this time, the upper right arm member 521 and the lower right arm member 522 maintain their parallel state. On the other hand, when the body frame 21 tilts to the right, the right knuckle 523 tilts to the right while parallel to the tilt link mechanism support part 22. At this time, the upper right arm member 521 and the lower right arm member 522 maintain their parallel state.

Therefore, the tilt link mechanism 5 having the above-mentioned configuration allows the body frame 21, the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 to tilt to the left or right.

Although not shown, the tilt link mechanism 5 may be configured such that the left-right tilt is controlled by a link mechanism drive motor. The link mechanism drive motor is disposed, for example, behind the tilt link mechanism support portion 22 and behind the front cover 265.

(Main frame)
Next, the configuration of the main skeleton 21a will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The main skeleton 21a extends in the front-rear direction. In other words, the width of the main skeleton 21a in the left-right direction is smaller than the length of the main skeleton 21a in the front-rear direction. The main skeleton 21a includes a front skeleton 211 and a rear skeleton 212.

The front skeleton 211 is located in front of the rear skeleton 212. The front skeleton 211 extends in the front-rear direction. The front skeleton 211 has a pair of front skeleton side walls 211a and a front skeleton bottom wall 211b. The pair of front skeleton side walls 211a are aligned in the left-right direction and are long in the front-rear direction. The front skeleton bottom wall 211b connects the lower ends of the pair of front skeleton side walls 211a. The pair of front skeleton side walls 211a and the front skeleton bottom wall 211b are connected by welding, for example. The pair of front skeleton side walls 211a and the front skeleton bottom wall 211b may be connected by adhesives, bolts, etc., or may be formed integrally.

The height dimensions of the pair of front skeleton side walls 211a are lower at the rear than at the front. This allows the front skeleton 211 to be positioned at the feet of the driver seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. Therefore, the main skeleton 21a can be positioned at the bottom of the lean vehicle 1, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the lean vehicle 1.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the portion of the main skeleton 21a that is located in front of the center X in the fore-and-aft direction of the left step 261 and the right step 262 is the main skeleton front portion 121. The main skeleton front portion 121 includes a portion of the front skeleton 211. The main skeleton front portion 121 extends linearly in the fore-and-aft direction.

The main skeleton front part 121 is configured so that its dimension WF in the vehicle width direction is larger than the distance D (see FIGS. 5 and 6) between the support part 511a of the left upper arm 511 relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the support part 521a of the right upper arm 521 relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22. The main skeleton front part 121 is configured so that its dimension WF in the vehicle width direction is larger than the distance D (see FIGS. 5 and 6) between the support part 512a of the left lower arm 512 relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22 and the support part 522a of the right lower arm 522 relative to the tilt link mechanism support part 22.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end of the main frame front portion 121 is lower than the lower end of the steering handle SH. In other words, the height H2 of the upper end of the main frame front portion 121 is smaller than the height H1 of the lower end of the steering handle SH. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the vehicle frame. This allows for greater freedom in the design of lean vehicles.

The lower end of the steering handle SH is the lowest part of the bar handle 61 and the steering shaft 62. In this embodiment, the lower end of the steering handle SH is the lower end of the steering shaft 62.

The upper end of the main skeleton front part 121 is the uppermost part of the main skeleton front part 121. In this embodiment, the upper end of the main skeleton front part 121 is the front part of the front skeleton part 211.

The upper end of the main skeleton front portion 121 is lower than the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. In other words, the height H2 of the upper end of the main skeleton front portion 121 is smaller than the height H3 of the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the body frame. This allows for greater freedom in the design of lean vehicles. The height H3 of the seating surface 27c of the seat described above is the height of the lowest part of the seating surface 27c.

The upper end of the main skeleton front part 121 is lower than the upper end of the tilt link mechanism 5. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the height H2 of the upper end of the main skeleton front part 121 is smaller than the height H4 of the tilt link mechanism 5. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the body frame. This allows for greater freedom in the design of the lean vehicle. The upper end of the tilt link mechanism 5 is the uppermost part of the tilt link mechanism 5.

In this embodiment, height refers to the height from the road surface on which the lean vehicle 1 is traveling.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, a plate-shaped reinforcing member 213 is provided on the upper part of the central portion in the front-rear direction of the pair of front skeletal side walls 211a. The reinforcing member 213 is connected to the central portion in the front-rear direction of the pair of front skeletal side walls 211a so as to straddle the left-right direction. Note that the reinforcing member 213 does not necessarily have to be provided. The reinforcing member 213 may be of another shape, such as a rod shape.

The posterior skeletal portion 212 is located behind the anterior skeletal portion 211. The posterior skeletal portion 212 extends in the front-rear direction. The posterior skeletal portion 212 has a pair of posterior skeletal side walls 212a and multiple posterior skeletal beam portions 212b. The pair of posterior skeletal side walls 212a are positioned side by side in the left-right direction and are long in the front-rear direction. The multiple posterior skeletal beam portions 212b connect the pair of posterior skeletal side walls 212a in the left-right direction.

The vertical dimension of the rear skeleton 212 is greater than the vertical dimension of the front skeleton 211. The left-right dimension of the rear skeleton 212 is smaller than the left-right dimension of the front skeleton 211.

The rear skeleton 212 supports the power unit 8. The upper part of the rear skeleton 212 supports the seat 27. The rear skeleton 212 supports the rear arm support 24 at its rear end.

An opening 212c is formed in the posterior skeleton side wall 212a of the posterior skeleton 212. An opening does not have to be provided in the posterior skeleton side wall 212a.

The front skeleton 211 and the rear skeleton 212 are connected in a lined-up state. As a result, the body frame 21 has a long shape in the fore-aft direction, as described above.

In this embodiment, the main skeleton rear part 122 is a part of the main skeleton 21a that is located behind the center X in the fore-and-aft direction of the left step 261 and the right step 262. The main skeleton rear part 122 includes a rear part of the front skeleton 211 and the rear skeleton 212.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main skeleton 21a is located between a left step 261 and a right step 262 provided on the vehicle body cover main body 26a in a plan view. The main skeleton 21a extends linearly in the front-rear direction between the legs of the driver when the driver sits on the seat 27 and places his/her feet on the left step 261 and the right step 262. The main skeleton 21a supports the inclined link mechanism 5 by a main skeleton front part 121 located in front of the center X of the left step 261 and the right step 262 in the front-rear direction, and supports the seat 27, the rear wheel 4, and the power unit 8 by a main skeleton rear part 122 located behind the center X of the left step 261 and the right step 262 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the main skeleton front part 121 supports at least a part of the inclined link mechanism 5 at a position lower than the upper surface of at least a part of the left step 261 and the right step 262 in a side view of the lean vehicle 1.

In the above-described configuration, the main skeleton 21a has a narrow width and extends linearly. The main skeleton front part 121 of the main skeleton 21a supports the tilt link mechanism 5 that supports the body frame 21, the left front wheel 31, and the right front wheel 32 so as to tilt in the left-right direction, and the main skeleton rear part 122 supports other mounted components. This increases the degree of freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the mounted components mounted on the body frame 21. This increases the degree of freedom in designing the lean vehicle 1.

1, in a side view of the lean vehicle 1, the main frame 21a of this embodiment extends linearly in the front-rear direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of at least a portion of the left step 261 and the right step 262 on which the driver places his/her feet while seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the body frame 21. This allows for greater freedom in the design of the lean vehicle 1.

Moreover, as described above, by providing the main skeleton portion 21a of the body frame 21 at a low position on the lean vehicle 1, it is easy for the driver to get in and out of the lean vehicle 1, even in the case of the lean vehicle 1 of this embodiment having the upper cover 26b.

Furthermore, by configuring the main skeleton front part 121 as in this embodiment so that its dimension WF in the vehicle width direction is larger than the distance D between the support part 511a of the left upper arm member 511 relative to the body frame 21 and the support part 521a of the right upper arm member 521 relative to the body frame 21, the rigidity of the main skeleton front part 121 can be increased compared to the part of the body frame 21 that supports the left upper arm member 511 and the right upper arm member 521. Therefore, deformation of the main skeleton front part 121 due to the force input from the left front wheel 31 via the left upper arm member 511 and the force input from the right front wheel 32 via the right upper arm member 521 can be suppressed. Therefore, the above-mentioned configuration can increase the rigidity of the entire body frame 21.

Similarly, by configuring the main skeleton front part 121 so that its dimension WF in the vehicle width direction is larger than the distance D between the support part 512a of the left lower arm member 512 relative to the body frame 21 and the support part 522a of the right lower arm member 522 relative to the body frame 21, the rigidity of the main skeleton front part 121 can be increased compared to the parts of the body frame 21 that support the left lower arm member 512 and the right lower arm member 522. Therefore, deformation of the main skeleton front part 121 due to the force input from the left front wheel 31 via the left lower arm member 512 and the force input from the right front wheel 32 via the right lower arm member 522 can be suppressed. Therefore, the above-mentioned configuration can increase the rigidity of the entire body frame 21.

[Embodiment 2]
Fig. 8 is a left side view showing a schematic configuration of a lean vehicle 1001 according to embodiment 2. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a body frame 1021 of the lean vehicle 1001. In Fig. 9, a floor 1029 (described later) including a left step 261 and a right step 262 is indicated by a two-dot chain line and a diagonal line.

In this embodiment, the configuration of the body frame 1021 is different from the configuration of the body frame 21 of the lean vehicle 1 in embodiment 1. In the following, the same components as in embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted, and only the parts that differ from embodiment 1 are explained.

As shown in FIG. 9, the body frame 1021 has a main skeleton portion 1021a, an inclined link mechanism support portion 22, and a handle support portion 25.

The main skeleton 1021a has a pipe-shaped left main frame 1041 and a right main frame 1042 that extend in the front-rear direction under the left step 261 and the right step 262. The left main frame 1041 is located on the left side of the lean vehicle 1001 in a plan view. The right main frame 1042 is located on the right side of the lean vehicle 1001 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the left main frame 1041 and the right main frame 1042 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the lean vehicle 1001 in a plan view.

In this embodiment, the left step 261 and the right step 262 are formed by a plate-shaped floor 1029 located on the left main frame 1041 and the right main frame 1042. The front part of the floor 1029 is inclined forward and upward. The rear part of the floor 1029 is flat. That is, in this embodiment, the left step 261 and the right step 262 are formed as a single unit. The upper surfaces of the left step 261 and the right step 262 are the upper surface of the floor 1029.

8 and 9, the left main frame 1041 has a left main frame front portion 1041a, a left main frame rear portion 1041c, and a left main frame middle portion 1041b. The left main frame front portion 1041a, the left main frame middle portion 1041b, and the left main frame rear portion 1041c are connected in a line in the front-to-rear direction.

The left main frame intermediate portion 1041b extends in the front-to-rear direction below the left step 261. The left main frame intermediate portion 1041b supports the seat 27.

The left main frame front portion 1041a extends obliquely forward and upward from the front portion of the left main frame intermediate portion 1041b. The left main frame front portion 1041a is formed so that its front end approaches the front end of a right main frame front portion 1042a (described later), i.e., so that its front end approaches the center in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle 1001 , in a plan view. The front end of the left main frame front portion 1041a is connected to the tilt link mechanism support portion 22 via the shock absorber support portion 28. The left main frame front portion 1041a supports the handle support portion 25 together with the right main frame front portion 1042a (described later).

The left main frame rear portion 1041c extends upward from the rear end of the left main frame intermediate portion 1041b and is bent toward the rear. The left main frame rear portion 1041c is formed integrally with the left main frame intermediate portion 1041b.

The right main frame 1042 has a right main frame front portion 1042a, a right main frame rear portion 1042c, and a right main frame middle portion 1042b. The right main frame front portion 1042a, the right main frame middle portion 1042b, and the right main frame rear portion 1042c are connected in a line in the front-to-rear direction.

The right main frame intermediate portion 1042b extends in the front-to-rear direction below the right step 262. The right main frame intermediate portion 1042b supports the seat 27.

The right main frame front portion 1042a extends obliquely forward and upward from the front portion of the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b. The right main frame front portion 1042a is formed so that its front end approaches the front end portion of the left main frame front portion 1041a , i.e., so that its front end approaches the center in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle 1001 , in a plan view. The front end portion of the right main frame front portion 1042a is connected to the tilt link mechanism support portion 22 via the shock absorber support portion 28. The right main frame front portion 1042a supports the handle support portion 25 together with the left main frame front portion 1041a.

The right main frame rear portion 1042c extends upward from the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b and is bent toward the rear. The right main frame rear portion 1042c is integrally formed with the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b.

The left main frame intermediate portion 1041b and the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b are connected by a front connecting portion 1043 extending in the left-right direction. The left main frame rear portion 1041c and the right main frame rear portion 1042c are connected by a rear connecting portion 1044 extending in the left-right direction behind the front connecting portion 1043. This improves the rigidity of the main skeleton portion 1021a.

The rear connecting portion 1044 supports the front portion of the swing arm 1023 so that it can rotate in the vertical direction. The swing arm 1023 rotatably supports the rear wheel 4 in place of the rear arm of the first embodiment. The swing arm 1023 is provided with a power unit 8.

Between the left main frame intermediate portion 1041b and the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b, a battery 81 that supplies power to the power unit 8 is disposed. When the driving source of the lean vehicle 1001 includes an engine, a fuel tank is disposed between the left main frame intermediate portion 1041b and the right main frame intermediate portion 1042b.

In this way, the main frame 1021a extends linearly in the front-rear direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of the left step 261 and the right step 262. This allows the center of gravity of the lean vehicle 1001 to be lowered and allows the driver to easily get on and off the lean vehicle 1001.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the main frame 1021a is configured to extend linearly in the front-rear direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of the left step 261 and right step 262 on which the driver places his/her feet while seated on the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 in a side view of the lean vehicle 1001, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in the riding position of the driver and the layout of the mounted parts mounted on the vehicle body frame 1021. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the lean vehicle 1001 can be increased.

In the main skeleton 1021a, the portion located in front of the center X in the fore-and-aft direction of the left step 261 and the right step 262 is the main skeleton front portion 1121. The main skeleton front portion 1121 includes the left main frame front portion 1041a, the right main frame front portion 1042a, the front portion of the left main frame middle portion 1041b, and the front portion of the right main frame middle portion 1042b. In the main skeleton 1021a, the portion located behind the center X in the fore-and-aft direction of the left step 261 and the right step 262 is the main skeleton rear portion 1122. The main skeleton rear portion 1122 includes the rear portion of the left main frame middle portion 1041b, the rear portion of the right main frame middle portion 1042b, the left main frame rear portion 1041c, and the right main frame rear portion 1042c. The main frame 1021 a supports the inclined link mechanism 5 with a main frame front portion 1121 , and supports the seat 27 , the rear wheel 4 , and the power unit 8 with a main frame rear portion 1122 .

In the above-described configuration, the main skeleton portion 1021a of the vehicle body frame 1021 supports the tilt link mechanism 5 that supports the vehicle body frame 1021, the left front wheel 31, and the right front wheel 32 so as to tilt in the left-right direction by the main skeleton front portion 1121, and supports other mounted parts by the main skeleton rear portion 1122. This increases the degree of freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the mounted parts mounted on the vehicle body frame 1021. This increases the degree of freedom in designing the lean vehicle 1001.

As shown in Figure 8, the upper end of the main skeleton front part 1121 is lower than the lower end of the steering handle SH. In other words, the height H2 of the upper end of the main skeleton front part 1121 is smaller than the height H1 of the lower end of the steering handle SH. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the body frame 1021. This allows for greater design freedom in the lean vehicle 1001.

The lower end of the steering handle SH is the lowest part of the bar handle 61 and the steering shaft 62. In this embodiment, the lower end of the steering handle SH is the lower end of the steering shaft 62.

The upper end of the main skeleton front part 1121 is the uppermost part of the main skeleton front part 1121. In this embodiment, the upper end of the main skeleton front part 1121 is the front end of the left main frame front part 1041a and the right main frame front part 1042a.

The upper end of the main skeleton front portion 1121 is lower than the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. In other words, the height H2 of the upper end of the main skeleton front portion 1121 is smaller than the height H3 of the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. This allows for greater freedom in the driver's riding position and the layout of the components mounted on the body frame 1021. This allows for greater design freedom in the lean vehicle 1001. The height H3 of the seating surface 27c of the seat described above is the height of the lowest part of the seating surface 27c.

In this embodiment, height means the height from the road surface on which the lean vehicle 1001 is traveling.

9, in this embodiment, the left-right distance WS between the left end of the left step 261 and the right end of the right step 262 is smaller than the tread width WH between the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32. In other words, the tread width WH between the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 is larger than the left-right distance WS between the left end of the left step 261 and the right end of the right step 262. As a result, the left-right distance from the ground contact position of the driver's feet before getting on the lean vehicle 1001 to the seating surface 27c of the seat 27 is small. As a result, the driver can easily get on and off the lean vehicle 1001.

Note that the tread width of the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 means the distance between the center of the left front wheel 31 and the center of the right front wheel 32 in the left-right direction of the lean vehicle 1001.

Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the front part 1121 of the main frame supports at least a portion of the tilt link mechanism 5 at a position lower than the upper surfaces of at least a portion of the left step 261 and the right step 262 when viewed from the side of the lean vehicle 1001.

9, the main skeleton front part 1121 is configured so that its vehicle width direction dimension WF is larger than the distance D between the support part 511a of the left upper arm member 511 relative to the body frame 1021 and the support part 521a of the right upper arm member 521 relative to the body frame 1021. The main skeleton front part 1121 is configured so that its vehicle width direction dimension WF is larger than the distance D between the support part 512a of the left lower arm member 512 relative to the body frame 1021 and the support part 522a of the right lower arm member 522 relative to the body frame 1021. In this embodiment, the vehicle width direction dimension WF of the main skeleton front part 1121 is the vehicle width direction dimension of the front end part of the main skeleton front part 1121.

Other Embodiments
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-mentioned embodiment is merely an example for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the above-mentioned embodiment can be appropriately modified and carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the first embodiment, the handle support part 25 is provided separately from the front skeleton part 211. However, the handle support part may be provided integrally with the front skeleton part. In other words, the handle support part may be provided integrally with the main skeleton part.

In the first embodiment, the main skeleton 21a includes a front skeleton 211 and a rear skeleton 212. However, the main skeleton may include at least a part of the casing of the power unit in addition to the front skeleton and the rear skeleton.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the tilt link mechanism 5 is a double-wishbone type link mechanism having an upper left arm 511, an upper right arm 521, and a lower left arm 512, and a lower right arm 522. However, the tilt link mechanism may be configured to have only one of the upper arm and the lower arm.

In the first embodiment, the main skeleton 21a includes a front skeleton 211 and a rear skeleton 212. However, the main skeleton may be constructed as a single unit, or may be constructed by connecting three or more members in the front-rear direction. The main skeleton may also be constructed by connecting multiple parts in the left-right direction. The main skeleton may be constructed using pipe members.

In the first embodiment, the rear of the front skeleton 211 is lower than the front. However, the front skeleton may have the same height in the front-to-rear direction, or the front may be lower than the rear.

In the first embodiment, the left-right dimension of the rear skeletal part 212 is smaller than the left-right dimension of the front skeletal part 211, and the height of the rear skeletal part 212 is greater than the height of the front skeletal part 211. However, the left-right dimension of the rear skeletal part may be the same as or greater than the left-right dimension of the front skeletal part. The height of the rear skeletal part may be the same as or smaller than the height of the front skeletal part.

In the first embodiment, in the tilt link mechanism support part 22, the support part 511a of the upper left arm 511 and the support part 521a of the upper right arm 521 are located at separate positions. In the tilt link mechanism support part 22, the support part 512a of the lower left arm 512 and the support part 522a of the lower right arm 522 are located at separate positions. However, in the tilt link mechanism support part, the support part of the upper left arm and the support part of the upper right arm may be in the same position. In the tilt link mechanism support part, the support part of the lower left arm and the support part of the lower right arm may be in the same position.

In each of the above embodiments, the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton 121, 1121 is lower than the lower end of the steering handle SH. However, the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton may be at the same height as or higher than the lower end of the steering handle SH.

In each of the above embodiments, the upper end of the front part 121, 1121 of the main skeleton is lower than the seating surface 27c of the seat 27. However, the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton may be at the same height as the seating surface of the seat or higher than the seating surface.

In the first embodiment, the upper end of the front part 121 of the main skeleton is lower than the upper end of the inclined link mechanism 5. However, the upper end of the front part of the main skeleton may be at the same height as or higher than the upper end of the inclined link mechanism.

In each of the above embodiments, the tread width WH between the left front wheel 31 and the right front wheel 32 is greater than the lateral distance WS between the left end of the left step 261 and the right end of the right step 262. However, the tread width between the left front wheel and the right front wheel may be equal to or smaller than the lateral distance between the left end of the left step and the right end of the right step.

In each of the above embodiments, the handle support portion 25 is formed in a tower shape using a plate-shaped bar member. However, the handle support portion may be formed using a pipe member or a plate-shaped member as long as it is capable of supporting the steering wheel rotatably.

In the second embodiment, the power unit 8 is provided on the swing arm 1023. However, the power unit may be provided on the rear wheel. In this case, for example, a wheel-in motor may be provided on the rear wheel.

In the second embodiment, the main skeleton 2021a of the body frame 1021 of the lean vehicle 1001 has a pipe-shaped left main frame 1041 and a right main frame 1042 extending in the fore-and-aft direction under the left step 261 and the right step 262. However, the left main frame and the right main frame may be formed of a member formed by bending a flat plate into a U-shape. The main skeleton may have a frame other than the left main frame and the right main frame. The configuration of the main skeleton is not limited to that of the second embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the seat 27 has a seating portion 27a and a seat back 27b. However, the seat may be a so-called saddle-type seat that has only a seating portion.

In each of the above embodiments, a three-wheeled vehicle has been described as an example of a lean vehicle, but the lean vehicle may be a vehicle other than a three-wheeled vehicle, such as a four-wheeled vehicle.

1, 1001 Lean vehicle 2 Vehicle body 3 Front wheels 4 Rear wheels 5 Tilt link mechanism 6 Steering mechanism 7 Shock absorber 8 Power unit (drive source)
Reference Signs List 8a Drive transmission section 81 Battery 21, 1021 Vehicle body frame 21a, 1021a Main skeleton section 211 Front skeleton section 211a Front frame side wall section 211b Front frame bottom wall section 212 Rear skeleton section 212a Rear frame side wall section 212b Rear frame beam section 212c Opening section 213 Reinforcing member 22 Tilt link mechanism support section 23 Rear arm
24 Rear arm support portion 25 Handle support portion 25a Handle support leg portion 25b Handle support beam portion 25c Handle support top plate portion 26 Vehicle body cover (cover)
26a Body cover main body 26b Upper cover 26c Opening 261 Left step 261a Recessed portion 262 Right step 265 Front cover 265a Light transmitting portion 27 Seat 27a Seating portion 27b Seat back 27c Seating surface 28 Shock absorber support portion 28a Shock absorber support main body portion 28b Tower portion 31 Left front wheel 32 Right front wheel 51 Left arm mechanism 511 Left upper arm member 511a Support portion 512 Left lower arm member 512a Support portion 513 Left knuckle 52 Right arm mechanism 521 Right upper arm member 521a Support portion 522 Right lower arm member 522a Support portion 523 Right knuckle 61 Bar handle 62 Steering shaft 63 Steering shaft support portion 71 Left shock absorber 72 Right shock absorber 121, 1121 Main frame front portion 122, 1122 Main frame rear portion 1023 Swing arm 1029 Floor 1041 Left main frame 1041a Left main frame front portion 1041b Left main frame middle portion 1041c Left main frame rear portion 1042 Right main frame 1042a Right main frame front portion 1042b Right main frame middle portion 1042c Right main frame rear portion 1043 Front coupling portion 1044 Rear coupling portion SH Steering handle C Cabin P Steering axis X Center in the fore-and-aft direction

Claims (14)

The vehicle frame,
a seat supported by the vehicle body frame and in which a driver sits;
A left step and a right step supported by the vehicle body frame on which a driver places his/her feet;
a left front wheel located to the left of the body frame;
a right front wheel located to the right of the body frame;
At least one rear wheel;
a tilt link mechanism including a left swing arm that swingably supports the left front wheel with respect to the body frame and a right swing arm that swingably supports the right front wheel with respect to the body frame, the left front wheel, and the right front wheel, the tilt link mechanism supporting the body frame, the left front wheel, and the right front wheel so as to tilt in the left-right direction;
a shock absorber that absorbs movement of the left front wheel and the right front wheel;
Equipped with
a lean vehicle in which the vehicle body frame, the left front wheel, the right front wheel, and the rear wheel are tilted to the left when turning left, and the vehicle body frame, the left front wheel, the right front wheel, and the rear wheel are tilted to the right when turning right,
The vehicle body frame includes a main skeleton portion,
a main skeleton front portion located forward of a center of the left step and the right step in a front-rear direction in the main skeleton portion extends linearly in a front-rear direction, and a dimension of the main skeleton front portion in a vehicle width direction is configured to be larger than a distance between a support portion of the left swing arm relative to the body frame and a support portion of the right swing arm relative to the body frame,
the vehicle body frame, in an upright state, supports an entirety of the support portion of the left swing arm and the support portion of the right swing arm of the tilt link mechanism at a position lower than an upper surface of at least a part of the left step and the right step in a side view of the lean vehicle ,
The entire front part of the main frame is configured to be located below the upper surfaces of at least a part of the left step and the right step.
Lean vehicle. 2. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
The main frame portion is located between the left step and the right step in a plan view. 3. The lean vehicle according to claim 2,
The main frame portion extends linearly in the front-to-rear direction between the legs of the driver when the driver is seated on the seat and places his/her feet on the left step and the right step. 2. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
The main frame portion extends linearly in the fore-and-aft direction at a position lower than the upper surfaces of the left and right steps on which the driver places his/her feet when seated in the seat, in a side view of the lean vehicle. 5. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
Further comprising a drive source,
The main frame supports the tilt link mechanism by a front portion of the main frame, and supports the seat, the rear wheel, and the drive source by a rear portion of the main frame located behind the center of the left step and the right step in the fore-and-aft direction. 6. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
The vehicle further includes a steering wheel that is rotated about a steering axis by a driver's operation,
the vehicle body frame includes a handle support portion that rotatably supports the steering handle,
A lean vehicle, wherein the handle support portion is configured from a separate member from the main skeleton portion and extends upward from an upper portion of the main skeleton portion. 7. The lean vehicle according to claim 6,
A lean vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the handle support portion extends upward from an upper portion of the front portion of the main frame. 8. The lean vehicle according to claim 6 or 7,
A lean vehicle in which the upper end of the front part of the main frame is lower than the lower end of the steering handle. 9. The lean vehicle according to claim 6,
The lean link mechanism is configured to be separable from the main frame and the handle support. 10. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
A lean vehicle in which an upper end of a front portion of the main frame is lower than a seating surface of the seat. 11. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
A lean vehicle, wherein an upper end of a front portion of the main frame is lower than an upper end of the tilt link mechanism. 10. The lean vehicle according to claim 6,
A lean vehicle, wherein an upper end of the handle support portion is higher than a seating surface of the seat. 13. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
A lean vehicle, wherein a tread width between the left front wheel and the right front wheel is greater than a lateral distance between a left end of the left step and a right end of the right step. 14. The lean vehicle according to claim 1,
The left step has a recessed portion for a driver seated on the seat to land on with the left foot.

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